Brassiere



June 13, 1961 L. L. KRIEGER 2,988,087

BRASSIERE Filed Sept. 26. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Larry L. Kn'eger WWW/ WW ATTORNEY L. L. KRIEGER June 13, 1961 BRASSIERE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 26, 1957 \Iiiii) ailviu INVENTOR Larry L. Kr/eger BY W fiw ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,988,087 BRASSIERE Larry L. Krieger, Dover, DeL, assignor to International Latex Corporation, Dover, Del., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 26, 1957, Ser. No. 688,385 2 Claims. (Cl. 128-505) This invention relates to brassieres and similar garments for supporting and molding the upper torso of the female figure in a desired shape and contour and is particularly concerned with body compressor garments having an array of spaced body-gripping knosplike protuberances for holding the garment in place.

One of the most troublesome problems confronting the manufacturer of compressor garments, such as barssieres and the like, is the construction of a garment which will remain in place on the body of the wearer while still providing the desired support and conformation of the body. The holding feature is particularly important in those brassiere constructions which are intended to control the figure rather than merely cover the breasts. Advantageously, such should be accomplished in a manner to provide maximum comfort during various motions of the body. Many attempts have been made to form compressor garments which will provide maximum support and contouring of the upper torso of the female body and still remain in a stationary position while in use. These garments, however, utilize girth-tightness to provide support, which causes cutting without eliminating riding-up with the result that the garment is uncomfortable on the body of the wearer. Also, many attempts have been made to utilize various forms of padding to eliminate the discomfort which results from slipping and riding of the garment but these innovations have proved to be ineffective. Attempts to construct a non-skid body compressor garment for supporting the human form have met with many difficulties. For example, foam rubber has the disadvantage of not being able to effectively eliminate the perspiration which accumulates between the non-skid surface and the body of the wearer. This accumulation of perspiration causes the garment to slip and ride with the result that a loss in support as well as discomfort to the wearer is experiencedv This invention contemplates compressor garment constructions in which the surface on the body-side of a portion of the garment for supporting and holding the torso of the wearer in position has an array of spaced small knosplike protuberances having a high degree of surface friction so that an anti-slip surface is presented when the garment is in contact with the body. The frictional protuberances, knobs or nodules, are spaced so that they are surrounded by areas of non-frictional porous contacting surface. This arrangement permits circulation of air and the dissipation of perspiration which accumulates between the skin and the surface of the frictional elements during the wearing of the garment. By utilization of strategically placed areas of spaced protuberances in the garment there is provided maximum comfort and support since the garment is held firmly in a non-slip position against the body. Also having the frictional protuberances on the body-side of the garment permits the wearing of clothing over the garment without frictional interference since the outer garment is free to slide and slip in a normal manner over the outside surface thereof.

The array of small body-gripping frictional protuberances being closely spaced, presents a plurality of small frictional mounds which lightly press into theskin of the wearer to form a comfortable intimate contact with the body of the wearer so that there is produced a positive holding of the garment in place. The background material containing the frictional elements may be oneway stretch elastic fabric or unstretchable fabric which is foraminous in structure so that the garment has the ability to breathe (dissipate body perspiration) to eliminate hot, sticky or clammy feeling which is characteristic of garments of the frictional type.

The frictional elements may be formed by weaving so as to produce a foraminous mat-like fabric which is capable of stretching in a girth-wise direction. This is particularly desirable where the gripping elements are to be positioned in the elastic members of the brassiere. The mat-like fabric may be made by weaving into the fabric bare rubber threads having a high degree of surface friction in such a manner that raised loop portions of the bare rubber threads are exposed on one side of the fabric presenting a plane of spaced knosplike protuberances in a one-way streachable fabric. Arrangement of the frictional protruding loop elements in girthwise extending rows (in the direction of stretch) with each element or protuberance alternately spaced so that no one element lies directly beside an adjacent element forms a woven mat or fabric which when utilized in strategic positions in a compressor garment, such as a brassiere, holds the garment in a fixed position on the body.

It has been found that the compressor garments of this invention are particularly adapted for supporting those body forms where a high degree of support is required, for example, in brassieres where the breasts are large and support is most essential to comfort and good health as well as where molding and styling of the breast is desired for beautification of the human female form. Such conforming and supporting of the body are accomplished by an anchoring of the garment to the body in a simple, easy and comfortable manner without the discomfort occasioned by garments which slip or ride. Also in the case of brassieres, the cutting of the skin of the wearer by shoulder straps and other bands forming part of the brassiere, especially for heavy breasted women, is eliminated by the firm and comfortable holding produced by the garment of this invention. Strapless-type brassieres, which have presented a problem for the wearer thereof, particularly heavy breasted women, can be comfortably worn without fear of lack of support or riding of the back section of the brassiere as there is provided a sustained lift of the breast by the anchoring of the body-encircling band of the brassiere to the body. Thus, the wearer of the garments of this invention can enjoy comfort with assurance that the garment will perform molding and holding of the body without shifting or slipping during various forms of exertive motion by the wearer.

It will be appreciated that these and other desirable effects are achieved by brassiere constructions of the type shown in the drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, it being understood that such embodiment is shown by illustration only and not by way of limitation, in which brawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view in elevation of the body-side surface of a brassiere showing rows of small body-gripping elements arranged girth-wise;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 showing the interweaving of frictional surfaced threads forming the body-gripping protuberances;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of an enlarged fragment of the body-side surface of the fabric showing the spaced body-gripping protuberances in relationship to the surface of the fabric;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the body-side surface of a brassiere showing rows of body- 3 gripping elements surrounding the periphery of the breast P;

FIGGURE 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the body-side surface of a brassiere showing ribbons of f-abric containing the body-gripping elements attached to a fabric backing;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view along line 6-6 of FIGURE 5 showing the spacing of the ribbons of fabric containing the body-gripping elements.

Referring to the drawings, brassiere 10 as shown in FIGURE 1 has a body-encircling band 11 with two breast receiving cups 12 positioned in the front thereof. Between the breast cups and forming a part of the bodyencircling band is a fabric insert 13 for separating the breast cups and establishing their proper position in relation to the human female form. The fabric insert 13 extends from the base of each of the breast cups to a point above the horizontal median thereof and is attached to the breast cups at inner peripheral edges 14, such as by sewing. Attached to outer edges 15 of the breast cups 12 are elastic fabric side panels 16 each of which extends around the region of the pectoral muscles and is continued as a backw'ardly extending panel 17. The free end of one of the elastic fabric back panels 17 has attached thereto a vertical strip 18 containing a series of evenly spaced hooks 19 arranged in a vertical row. Attached to the end of the other back section 17 is a second vertically disposed strip 20' having thereon two vertically arranged rows of eyes 21 adapted to receiving in looking engagement the hooks 19 for enclosing the body-encircling garment around the body of the wearer (see FIGURE 1).

Attached to bottom marginal edge of the brassiere 10 is a binding 22 which provides a finish for the bottom edge of the garment. In like manner each combination of back and side panels has attached thereto along its marginal edge a similar binding 23 and the top portion of each breast cup has marginal decorative edging 24 which gives a pleasing finished appearance to the garment. Positioned a short distance from the outer edge of each breast cup and serving as a dividing line between the back and side panels is a vertical stay 25 which offers vertical stiffening of the fabric band to assist and hold the fabric in a body-encircling position so that the brassiere can be more easily positioned on the body of the wearer. Each breast cup has a support wire 26 associated therewith substantially U-shaped in form and sewn in the fabric portion of the garment forming the body and side peripheral portions of the breast cup. These supporting wires provide a breast cup stiffening means which hold the breast cup in its proper shape and form and help to retain the shape of the breast when the garment is in place on the body of the wearer.

The side and back panels 16 and 17 respectively are in the form of a one-way stretchable woven mat 28 (see FIGURE 3). Woven in the fabric mat 28 are bare rubber threads which have a high degree of surface friction. It will be appreciated that other similar threads may be used which would present a high degree of surface friction with respect to the body of the wearer such as rubber or plastic coated threads and the like. The threads in the mat are arranged so that they protrude upwardly from one side thereof (see FIGURE 2) to form a series of protuberances 29 which are knosplike in shape. As can be seen from FIGURE 2, the other side of band 10 (i.e., the surface of the brassiere in contact with other garments of the wearer) is free of the knosplike frictional protuberances; instead the surface formed by the exposed textile threads is a smooth relatively non-frictional surface over which other garments can freely move in sliding engagement. This arrangement of knosplike protuberances. forms a series. of spaced frictional elements which effectively grip the body when lightly pressed thereagainst.

The spaced frictional protuberances or elements are arranged in rows 30 so that each two frictional elements have a space 31 therebetween and the frictional elements of one row lie in a position that is directly in line with the spaces in adjacent rows. This arrangement provides frictional elements staggered with respect to each other to form a series of channels of serpentine or wavy form. The lines of staggered elements are positioned in a girthwise direction in both the elastic fabric side and back panels of the brassiere. This array of spaced elements when pressed against the skin of the wearer produces a body-gripping action so that the garment is maintained in a non-slip position.

It also will be appreciated that the pressing of the frictional elements against the skin causes the surface of the skin to contact a large portion of the surface of each frictional element to provide a high degree of gripping of the surface of the body while still providing small areas around the frictional elements which are not in frictional contact with the body. These areas allow for breathing or circulation around the protuberances so that accumulation of body perspiration can be quickly dissipated through the woven fabric. Also the girth-wise stretch-ing of the fabric causes the protuberances to elongate and more effectively grip the body. This effect is particularly experienced when the garment is subject to exertive motion on the body of the wearer. It has been found that the size, shape and relationship of the frictional element depend upon the type of support and contour of the body which must be produced. Preferably a distance between elements (spacing) of from about onefourth to about three times the length of the frictional element can be used. It will be appreciated, however, that smaller or even larger spacing may be used depending on the placement and number of elements required to produce the desired support. The length of the frictional elements depends upon the construction and type of garment, but it has been found that preferably a length from ten thousandths of an inch to about two-hundred-fiftythousandths of an inch produces excellent results. As in the case of spacing between elements, slightly larger or even smaller elements may be used depending upon the number of elements to be employed. The height of the frictional elements depends upon the method of affixing them to the fabric and, in the case of weaving, which is preferred, a bare rubber thread of from five-thousandths of an inch to about forty-thousandths of an inch in thickness can be used. Also extruded or cut threads may be used. The principal requirement for thread size is that it must produce a series of protuberances of suflicient height so that they will grip the surface of the body without causing discomfort to the wearer. It has been found that excellent gripping of the body is produced when less than half the surface of the fabric is free from protuberances but good results have been obtained with seventy-five percent of the fabric having protuberances thereon. Very etfective gripping of the body was obtained when the number of protuberances within the ranges set forth above were from about 200 to 2,000 per square inch. It will, of course, be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the number, size, spacing, height and frictional surface characteristics of the protuberances are inter-dependent factors which control the degree of gripping of the body.

An alternate form of this invention is shown in FIG- URE 4 in which numeral 32 refers to a fragment of the body-encircling type brassiere heretofore described as to its general structure. Brassiere 32 has a one-way stretch fabric body-encircling band 33 which has positioned in the frontal portion thereof spaced breast receiving cups 34 (one shown). The body-encircling band 3 3 is attached to each of the breast cups at the periphery 35 thereof. At each end of the body-encircling band is means for fastening the brassiere at the back of the wearer (means notshown). As previously described, the body-encircling band is a mat-like elastic fabric having an array of spaced frictional knosplike protuberances 29 arranged in rows 30 which lie in a substantially girth-wise direction. These frictional protuberances are positioned between the breast cups and along the side portion of the body-encircling band so that the total area surrounding the base of the breast is provided with a body-gripping action. This arrangement produces hugging and gripping of the pectoral muscles and other muscles surrounding the breast so that the breast cups are positively held to the body. This body-gripping prevents slipping and shifting of the breast cups to eliminate unsightly bulges during all exertive motions of the wearer.

FIGURE 5 illustrates another form of the present invention in which elastic body-gripping strips are attached to select portions of the body-encircling band of a brassiere to anchor the brassiere against the body of the wearer. Numeral 36 designates a fragmentary half portion of the brassiere of this type having a body-encircling band 37. Positioned in the front section of the band are two spaced conical breast receiving cups 38. Attached to each of the breast cups along the inner periphery 39 thereof is a fabric insert 40. The outer periphery 41 of each of the breast cups has attached thereto elastic fabric side panel 42 capable of providing girth-wise stretch. Sewn to the end of one of the elastic fabric side panels 42 is a vertical fabric strip 43 having positioned thereon a vertical arrangement of equally spacedhooks 44. The end of the other elastic side panel (not shown) has a similar arrangement with cooperating eyes adapted to receive in locking engagement hooks 44 when the body-encircling band is assembled on the body of the wearer. The top edge of each elastic side panel 42 is bias cut so that it extends in a downward and backward direction from a point near the top outer periphery of the breast cup. Sewn to the body-side of each elastic fabric side panel 42 are three spaced elastic body-gripping strips 45 having an array of knosplike frictional protuberances 29 as heretofore described. One body-gripping strip 46 extends backwardly and downwardly from the outer periphery of each breast cup along a marginal portion of the top of each side panel to form a band for gripping the pectoral muscles and the back section of the body of the wearer. The second body-gripping strip 47 is positioned at approximately the horizontal median of each side panel extending in a girth-wise direction from the outer periphery of the breast cup and assists in anchoring the garment to the body of the wearer. Attached to the bottom portion of the entire body-encircling band is a third strip 48. This strip extends girth-wise along a marginal portion of the bottom of the body-encircling band and provides gripping action at the frontal portion of the brassiere directly under the breast cups and the space therebetween. Thus, the combination of spaced gripping strips attached to the body-side of the body-encircling band provides holding and supporting means to retain the brassiere in a fixed anchored position on the body of the wearer.

This construction provides a strategic placing of a plurality of gripping frictional elements arranged in strip form so that three important points along the outer periphery of each breast cup receive support. The top strip 46 extending diagonally downward towards the back of the wearer provides controlling and the forming of the pectoral muscles to remove unsightly bunching of the flesh around the top sides of the brassiere. The middle strip 47 provides a direct backward pull for holding the middle portion of the breast cups firmly against the sides of the body and maintaining the proper separation therebetween. The bottom strip 48 covers the bottom portion of the body-encircling band and anchors the brassiere so that the breast cups are maintained in a lifted position. It

has also been found that a brassiere having a single bodygripping strip along the bottom marginal edge of the body-encircling band provides a body-gripping anchoring of the brassiere particularly under the breast cups where considerable strain is exerted.

The embodiments heretofore described have shown body-gripping protuberances placed in various strategic sections of straplms type of brassieres to provide unusual holding power to support the breast, particularly those of heavy breasted women who have difficulty in wearing this type of brassiere. It will be appreciated that the brassiere of this invention may be of the shoulder strap type.

The garment construction illustrated by this invention also may be, in addition to brassieres, corselets, slip and brassiere combinations, bandeaus, bathing suits, and other like body-gripping garments where support of the top portion of the torso of the human female body for the health, comfort and/or beautification is essential and desired.

Although the present invention has been described with particularity with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and the appended claims should therefore be interpreted to cover such changes and modifications.

I claim as my invention:

1. A brassiere for supporting and molding the upper torso of the human female body comprising a body-encircling band, said band having a porous mat-like structure and expansible in the girth-wise direction, body molding and supporting elements positioned in said band for forming and controlling the breasts; and an array of closely spaced small body-gripping knosplike protuberances projecting above the general plane of the fabric and horizontally arranged for holding said brassiere in fixed position on the upper torso of the wearer, the outer surface of said band which engages garments worn over said brassiere having a relatively smooth surface which permits said garments to slide freely thereover, said protuberances having a length of from 10- to ZSO-thousandths of an inch, a thickness of from 5- to 40-thousandths of an inch, and being present in the range of about 200 to 2000 per square inch.

2. A brassiere for supporting and molding the upper torso of the human female body comprising a body-encircling band, said band having a porous mat-like structure and expansible in the girth-wise direction, body molding and supporting elements positioned in said band for forming and controlling the breast; and an array of close- 1y spaced small body-gripping knosplike protuberances projecting above the general plane of the fabric, extending over a substantial portion of the inside surface of said band, and horizontally arranged in staggered relation for holding said brassiere in fixed position on the upper torso of the wearer, the other surface of said band which engages garments worn over said brassiere having a relatively smooth surface which permits said garments to slide freely thereover.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,579,545 Cadous Dec. 25, 1951 2,638,130 Posson May 12, 1953 2,646,828 Hesse July 28, 1953 2,725,574 Block et a1. Dec. 6, 1955 2,799,021 La Bue July 16, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS France -------u-------- Feb. 27

Disclaimer 2,988,087. Zlar7"y L. Km'eger, Dover, Del. BRASSIERE. Patent dated June 13, 1961. Disclaimer filed Feb. 14:, 1963, by the assignee, International Latem Gomomtion. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1 and 2 of said patent.

[Oficz'al Gazette April 2, 1963.] 

